End closure for wire-conduits



H. M. TEMPLE AND P. KEARNEY.

END CLOSURE FOR WIRE CONDUITS- APPLICATION FILED AUG-I8, |9I6.

1,341,398, Patented May 25,1920.

INVENTUR- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY M. TEMPLE AND PHILIP KEARNEY, 013 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORS TO DETROIT CLOSED BUSHING COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

END CLOSURE FOR WIRE-CONDUITS. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1920.

Application filed August 18, 1916. Serial No. 115,663.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY M. TEMPLE and PHILIP KEARNEY, citizens of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in End Closures for Wire-Conduits, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in end closures for wire conduits for electric wires and the like. The primary object of the invention is to provide simple. eflicient and inexpensive means for removably closing the ends of the wire conduits, and, more specifically stated, to provide an improved removable plug or cap especially adapted to snugly fit into a bushing screwed onto the conduit end, the bushing being preferably formed with an internal shoulder cooperating with the plug.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following specification, wherein we have illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention. Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention and wherein similar reference numer'als designate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through an outlet-box andthe associated end of an electric wire conduit provided with one form of the improved end closure; Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the plug or cap employed; Fig. 3 is a similar view through the bushing employed: Fig. 4 is a similar view of another form of plug or cap that may be employed; Fig. 5 is a similar view through a third form of plug or cap that may be employed: and Fig. 6 is a sectional view through the bushing and cap shown in Fig. 5 in position thereon.

In the drawings, the numeral 5 designates an outlet-box of a well-known variety, and 6 the associated end portion of a conduit for electric wires. the conduit being secured in the side wall of the outlet-box adapted to be threaded or otherwise removably secured on the conduit adiacent its end, said bushing being preferably provided with burs or ribs 9 for cooperation with a Wrench or other instrument for attaching and removing the bushing. An internal shoulder 10 is preferably formed at or adjacent the extremity of the bushing at the opposite end from the screw threads, which shoulder is adapted to cooperate with the plug or cap 11 which extends across the end of the bushing and effects a complete closure of the end of the bushing and the conduit. The cap 11, in the example illustrated, bears with its rim upon the rounded shoulder 10 directly upon and throughout the entire circumference of the extreme end of the rounded shoulder 10. The plug or cap 11 is preferably formed in one piece having an end wall of sufiicient diameter to extend across the open end of the bushing, and an annular flange 12 of lesser diameter adapted to fit snugly into the bushing so as to be held therein by friction. Thus, in Fig. 1 the flange 12 is of slightly greater diameter than the inner diameter of the shoulder 10 of the bushing and the flange 12 is of slightly resilient material so that when the plug or cap is forced into the bushing the flange 12 will be slightly compressed in passing the innermost wall of the shoulder 10. If desired, the shoulder 10 may be formed with a curved inner wall, and the flange 12 be more firmly held therein by expanding the same to follow the contour of the curved walla suitable expanding tool being utilized to effect this expansion. The shoulder l0 is formed with a curved or rounded inner wall to facilitate the passage of insulated wires through the bushin abrasion of the insulation thus being avoided. Or a cap or plug substantially of the shape shown in Fig. 4 may be utilized, the wall 13 thereof being forced inwardly beyond the curved shoulder 10 of the bushing,- the shoulder thereupon fitting into the annular groove 13 in the side wall of the cap. A beading 13 or similar extension may be provided to abut against the extremity of the bushing.

In Fig. 5 is shown another form of cap or plug provided with a wall 14 and a flange 15. the inner extremity of which is bulged outwardly and slotted at intervals around the flange. whereby the resiliency of the flange 15 is increased to enable said flan e to ive inwardly in assing the shoulder 1 of the bushing and then expanding to snugly engage the inner periphery of the bushing and the curved inner surface of the shoulder.

It will be noted that any of the forms of caps or plugs herein shown may be quickly cap with the internal shoulder on the bushing.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiment of our invention herein disclosed is Well calculated to adequately fulfil the objects and advantages primarily stated, it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the subjoined claims.

Having described the invention, we claim 1. As an article of manufacture, a conduit closure consisting of a bushing having an internal shoulder adjacent an end thereof, and a closure cap for said bushing comprising an end wall, and a flange extending into said bushing conforming to the shoulder.

2. As an article of manufacture, a conduit closure consisting of a bushing having an internal shoulder, ribs on the exterior of said bushing extending from adjacent one end thereof toward the other end but falling short of said other end, and a closure cap for said bushing having a rim engaging said other end of said bushing throughout its circumferential extent, and having a flange extending into said bushing conforming to said shoulder.

closure comprising a bushing adapted to be secured upon the end of a conduit, an internal shoulder adjacent an end of said bushing, and a closure cap for said bushing comprising a resilient flange forced into said bushing and conforming to said shoulder. 5. As an article of manufacture, a conduit closure consisting of a bushing having an internal shoulder adjacent an end thereof, and a closure cap for said bushing comprising a flange extending into said bushing, and a wall at the end of said flange within said bushing, said flange conforming adjacent said end wall to said shoulder. 6. As an article of manufacture, a conduit closure comprising abushing, ribs on the exterior of said bushing extending from adjacent one end thereof toward the other end but falling'short of said other end, an internal shoulder adjacent the other end of said bushing, and a closurecap for said bushing comprising a resilient flange forced into said bushing and conforming to said shoulder, and a wall closing the end of said flange within said bushing.

HARRY M. TEMPLE. PHILIP KEARNEY. Witnesses:

. EUGENE G. DONOHOE,

CHAS. A. NORMAN. 

